Arrows A23

{{Racing car |

Car_name = Arrows A23 |

Image = 270px|

Caption = Heinz-Harald Frentzen driving the A23 at the 2002 French Grand Prix|

Constructor = Arrows |

Designer = Mike Coughlan {{smaller|(Technical Director)}}
Sergio Rinland {{smaller|(Chief Designer)}}
Nicolò Petrucci {{smaller|(Head of Aerodynamics)}} |

Predecessor = A22 |

Successor = Super Aguri SA05 |

Team = Orange Arrows |

Drivers = 20. {{flagicon|GER}} Heinz-Harald Frentzen
21. {{flagicon|BRA}} Enrique Bernoldi |

Chassis = Carbon-fibre monocoque |

Front suspension = Inboard pushrod operated independent suspension. Carbon fibre wishbones with double tether restraint system both front and rear |

Rear suspension = As front |

Engine name = Cosworth CR-3,

Capacity = 3.0 |

Configuration = V10 (72°) |

Turbo/NA = naturally-aspirated |

Engine position = mid-engined |

Power = 805 hp @ 17,500 rpm{{Cite web|url=https://www.statsf1.com/en/moteur-ford-cosworth.aspx|title = Engine Ford Cosworth • STATS F1}} |

Gearbox name = Arrows with Jaguar internals |

Gears = 7-speed |

Type = longitudinal sequential semi-automatic |

Differential = |

Fuel = BP |

Lubricants = Castrol |

Tyres = Bridgestone |

Debut = 2002 Australian Grand Prix |

Last_event = 2002 German Grand Prix|

Races = 12 |

Wins = 0 |

Cons_champ = 0 |

Drivers_champ = 0 |

Poles = 0 |

Fastest_laps = 0 |

}}

The Arrows A23 is a Formula One racing car, used by the Arrows team during the 2002 Formula One season. It was designed by Mike Coughlan, Sergio Rinland and Nicolò Petrucci with engines supplied by Jaguar-works Cosworth customer rather than the Asiatech unit used in the previous year's Arrows A22.

Arrows racing history

File:Frentzen Bernoldi France 2002.jpg and Enrique Bernoldi driving A23s at the 2002 French Grand Prix.]]

The car was completely designed around Jos Verstappen, who had a contract to race for the 2002 season.{{cite web |url=http://www.historicracing.com/driver_az.cfm?type=drivers_alpha&tStartRow=1&AlphaIndex=V&driverID=1241 |title=Jos Verstappen |publisher=historicracing.com |access-date=21 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140822062446/http://www.historicracing.com/driver_az.cfm?type=drivers_alpha&tStartRow=1&AlphaIndex=V&driverID=1241 |archive-date=22 August 2014 |url-status=dead }} However, due to financial problems the team replaced him with Heinz-Harald Frentzen on a race by race deal because he could bring more sponsorship money. Rinland designed the car around the twin keel concept he had perfected at Sauber. The A23 was introduced late and had very little pre season testing as a result.{{Cite web|url=https://www.f1technical.net/f1db/cars/852/arrows-a23|title=Arrows A23|website=www.f1technical.net|access-date=21 January 2020}} Most of the testing and set up work was done by Verstappen before he was abruptly replaced by Frentzen.{{Cite web|url=https://www.carthrottle.com/post/wp4xqm2/|title=Hidden Potential: 2002 Arrows A23|website=Car Throttle|date=15 August 2016 |access-date=2 July 2020}}

Driven by Frentzen and Enrique Bernoldi, the car scored only two championship points. Both cars were disqualified at the opening race. Bernoldi grabbed headlines for taking the fight to Michael Schumacher in Malaysia, proving the A23's competitiveness.{{Cite web|url=http://www.f1network.net/main/s106/st4100.htm|title=Enrique on Schumy, Monaco & bad press|website=www.f1network.net|access-date=3 July 2020}} While the car had pace, reliability was again its achilles heel although Frentzen felt that the car had good potential however.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/frentzen-splits-with-arrows-1.431970?mode=amp|title=Frentzen splits with Arrows|website=www.irishtimes.com|access-date=25 January 2020}} Mounting debts and legal issues forced the team to pull out of Formula One following the 2002 German Grand Prix. Craig Pollock, who had just been ousted from BAR offered to buy the team, but terms could not be reached.{{Cite web|url=http://www.grandprix.com//news/what-happens-if-pollock-does-buy-arrows.html|title=What happens if Pollock does buy Arrows?|website=www.grandprix.com|access-date=25 January 2020}} Arrows and by extension TWR were declared insolvent shortly afterwards and folded.{{Cite web|url=https://www.grandprix.com/gpe/con-arrow.html|title=Arrows Grand Prix|website=www.grandprix.com|access-date=24 January 2020}}

The team's penultimate entry at the French Grand Prix saw both drivers deliberately fail to qualify as the team cut back on engine mileage and repair. On-board data acquisition showed the car to be quick in the first two sectors but noticeably slower in the third and final sector.{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/kevingarside/2378430/Judge-tells-F1-Arrows-owner-to-pay-6.5m.html|title=Judge tells F1 Arrows owner to pay £6.5m|first=Kevin|last=Garside|date=7 May 2004|via=www.telegraph.co.uk|access-date=21 January 2020}} The team's last actual entry was the following at the 2002 German Grand Prix at a new for 2002 heavily revised and shortened version of the Hockenheimring.

It is possible that Orange were due to terminate their sponsorship around the same time anyway due to making huge financial losses.{{Cite web|url=https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/future-bleak-arrows-f1-team-orange-mulls-sponsorship-deal/150688|title=Future bleak for Arrows F1 team as Orange mulls sponsorship deal|website=www.campaignlive.co.uk|access-date=24 January 2020}}

Further use by other teams

=Minardi=

Following the demise of Arrows, the A23 chassis and intellectual property rights to them were bought by Paul Stoddart, then the head of the Minardi team, as a potential replacement for his own team's PS03 chassis.

The chassis was renamed the Minardi PS04, although it was largely unchanged from its condition as raced in the 2002 season.{{cite news| title =Stoddart says the Minardi PS04 is ready| publisher =grandprix.com| url =http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns11863.html| date =14 September 2003| access-date =7 April 2009}} A comparison test next to the Minardi PS03 proved it to have similar performance to the PS03, but possibly more potential. However Minardi was worried about the negative PR from running a "pure-Arrows" and the decision was made to modify the PS03 using Arrows intellectual property and elements from the Arrows A23 for the 2004 season. The resulting car was called the Minardi PS04B.{{cite news| title =Minardi's "new" new PS04| publisher =grandprix.com| url =http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns12294.html| date =19 December 2003| access-date =7 April 2009}}

=Super Aguri=

Four years later, in 2006, the new Super Aguri F1 team bought remaining unmodified A23 cars and from Minardi. Super Aguri ran them, with some minor modifications,{{cite web|url=http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/116159/new-aguri-planned-for-french-gp/|title=New Aguri planned for French GP|date=24 April 2006|access-date=30 January 2011|publisher=GPUpdate.net}} as the Super Aguri SA05 during the first half of the 2006 season.

Complete Formula One results

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%"

! Year

! Entrant

! Engines

! Tyres

! Drivers

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! 14

! 15

! 16

! 17

! Points

! WCC

rowspan="3"| {{F1|2002}}

| rowspan="3"| Orange Arrows

| rowspan="3"| Cosworth V10

| rowspan="3"| {{Bridgestone}}

| rowspan="3"|2

| rowspan="3"|11th

{{flagicon|DEU}} Heinz-Harald Frentzen

|style="background:#000000; color:white"| DSQ

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 11